Glass polisher



T. E. OBRIG' GLASS POLISHER Dec. 17, 1935.

Filed Dec. 7, 1933 FIG.

FIG. 3

FIG. 4

THEODORE E. OBRIG H m m T o m n M & B

Patented Dec. 17 1935 UNITED STATES- PATEN OFFICE GLASS POLISHEB.

Theodore E. Obrig, Greenwich, pm., assignor to Gail & Lembke, Inc., New York, N. Y., a. corporation of New York Application December '1, 1933, Serial No. roam 3 Claims. (c1. 51-185) This invention relates :to the art of polishing glass, such as ophthalmic lenses for example, and more particularly it has reference to polishing members and the methods of making same.v

One of the objects of my invention .is to provide an improved polishing member for polishing glass. Another object is'to provide improved glass polishers and methods of making the same.v

' making my polishing member.

Fig.3 is a sectional view thereof. I Figs. 4, 5' and 6 illustrate successive steps of one .method of makingmy fabric-wax polisher. Fig. -'I shows the polisher attached to a tool. In the manufacture and finishing of polished glass articles, such as ophthalmic lenses, the polishing operation is usually effected by means of a felt pad or'the like which is moved rapidly over the surface of the lens. A suitable abrasive material such as a mixture of rouge and water is applied to the polishing pad and lens surface. Some of the polishing pads of the prior art are impregnated with pitch-solutions and the like. I have found, however, that a superior lens polishing member can be produced by the use of certain waxes having relatively high melting points. 'As

examples of such waxes, I have used carnauba wax having a melting point of approximately 190 degrees Fahrenheit or candelilla wax having a melting point of approximately 183 degrees Fahrenheit. a

There are various ways in which these waxes maybe used for polishing lenses and one of them is illustrated in Fig. 1 wherein Ill indicates a metallic abrading tool,'of the type commonly used for lens griding, having a curved spherical surface I i of the proper curvature to produce thedesired lens surface. The layer of wax I! may be applied by dipping the iron tool l0 into molten wax or by applying the molten wax to the tool with a brush or the like. The layer of wax I2 is shown in exaggerated scale in Fig. 1 for the sake of clearness while actually only a very thin layer of wax is used. In optical prescription shops the tool l0 without the wax layer is first'used for grinding the lens with a suitable abrasive such as a mixture of emery or corundum and water. when the grinding operation is completed the tool and lens are carefully washed, a thin layer of wax is applied to the same tool and the polishing operation is then begun. In order to insure best results the curved surface of the polisher Y should, as far as possible, fit into and be a counterpart of the ground lens. Hence the layer of wax should be quite thin and uniformly applied.

My polishing waxes can also be used on polishing pads which are made by dipping a piece of fabric in the molten wax, draining off the surplus and allowing the wax to harden. This provides a pad, having a wax layer on each side, which can then be secured to a tool by means of an adhesive such as pitch. However, I prefer to make the wax coated'polishing pad so that one side of the fabric carries the wax layer and the other side is subst intially free from wax. Such a pad can be readily attached to the iron tool by the use of adhesives, other than pitch, commonly used by opticians and can be repeatedly-removed and applied.

A preferred method 'of making my polishing pads is illustrated in Figs. 2-6 wherein l3 indicates a piece of fabric such as relatively fine linen or the like. The fabric I3 is placed on a plate I4, of material such as cardboard, metal or glass, and

held in place with the finger or a suitable tool while the plate and fabric are dipped into the molten wax l5 heldin container It. The plate and fabric are removed, the surplus wax is drained off and the whole set aside until the wax hardens v as shown in Fig. 5. By means of a knife or other sharp instrument the edge of the fabric is raised up and the fabric is then stripped or peeled off the plate :4. The wax which had been deposited on the under side of the fabric adheres to the plate I as shown at l9 so that the under side of the fabric is left substantially free of wax while the upper side carries a layer of wax. II which is used for polishing. Instead of dipping the plate 40 and fabric intothe molten wax, I can place the fabric on the plate and then apply the hot molten wax by means of a brush. This polishing pad is then secured to the tool III by means of a suitable adhesive I8 as shown in Fig. 7.

am able to attain the objects of my invention and provide improved glass polishing members and methods of making same. My polishing waxes or my polishing pads can be applied to either flat 50 Surfaces of fused multifocal lenses comprising 66 From-the foregoing it will be apparent that I hard and soft glass portions can polished with my Polishers so that tinuous surface is formed over all portions. Since these polishing waxes have relatively high meltin: points more pressure can be used in polishin: without danger of softening the wax so that taster polishing can be effected. Various fmodiflcations can obviously be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1; A polisher for glass comprising a tool having a predetermined form and a layer 01' carnauba be effectively 8!). even (3021-- side of said fabric waxsecuredtosaidtoolsoastohavesubstmtially the same form as said tool.

2. 4 glass polishing pad adapted to be secured to a preformed tool, said pad comprising a piece of fabric carrying a layer 01' carnauba wax.

-3. Aglasspolishinxpadadaptedto besecured to a preformed tool, said pad comprising a piece of fabric, one side of said fabric being impregnated with a layer 0! carnauba wax, the other wax.

v THEODORE E. OBRIG.

being substantially free from m 

